His claims were met with scepticism, given the tone of the document, but the allegations sparked debate about whether Hitler could have escaped South America after the war.

The History Channel said the general belief is that Hitler committed suicide in 1945 when he swallowed a cyanide capsule and shot himself in the head.

The dictator had holed himself up in a bunker to live out his final days as Germany collapsed under increased pressure from the Allied forces. His body was believed to have been burned outside the bunker.

The FBI reported that, although it suspected Hitler had committed suicide, there was no evidence to confirm this.

“At the time, it was feared that Hitler may have escaped in the closing days of the war, and searches were made to determine if he was still alive,” a report said.

“FBI Files indicate that the Bureau investigated some of the rumors of Hitler’s survival.”

In 2009 a top Russian security official told CNN that Hitler’s remains were reportedly recovered by the Soviet Army in May 1945 and later burned and thrown into a river. However, the report garnered widespread doubt as officials dismissed the claims.

According to Newsweek, a piece of the skull believed to belong to Hitler was analyzed by Nick Bellantoni of the University of Connecticut who reported that the bone belonged to a woman aged between 20 and 40.